Optically Stimulated Luminescence dating is a technique of dating Late Quaternary sediments deposited by various transporting agencies after their erosion from parent rock.
Commonly occurring insulator minerals like Quartz and feldspar are used as a dosimeter.
These minerals acquire radiation doses (De) from environmental dose rate (Dr) arise due to decay of radioactive elements like U, Th and K and cosmic rays. Burial dose (De) is measured and annual dose rate (Dr) is calculated in the laboratory.
The simplest formula for estimation of age is, total dose accumulated in the minerals (De) divided by annual dose rate (Dr).
Advantages:
Directly gives the age. No calibration required
Can date material of few hundred to few lakh years.
Suitable for all sedimentary environments

Standard Operating Procedure

Instruments:

The OSL laboratory, GSI, Faridabad, is equipped with three OSL dating instruments

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